Water storage tub integrated with a drive unit supporting member during formation thereof

ABSTRACT

A washing machine including a water storage tub coupled to a rotation drive unit via a supporting member. The water storage tub may be made of plastic and the supporting member may be made of metal. The supporting member strengthens the bottom of the water storage tub and thereby prevents the water storage tub from being deformed or otherwise damaged by operation of the drive unit. During the injection molding process of forming the water storage tub, the supporting member is inserted into the water storage tub and thereby integrates with the water storage tub. Thus, a separate integration process after the water storage tub is formed is advantageously eliminated, leading to improved installation precision, simplified manufacturing processes, and reduced manufacturing cost.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit and priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0130720, filed on Sep. 30, 2014, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a washing machine and manufacturing method thereof, and more particularly, to coupling mechanisms between a water storage tub and a motor in a washing machine.

BACKGROUND

In general, a washing machine washes laundry using friction between washing water and laundry. The washing machine may produce water flow by rotating a pulsator disposed inside a washing tub.

Typically, a drive unit installed at the bottom of a water storage tub is used to rotate the pulsator. Because some washing machines have a water storage tub made of plastic, which makes it difficult to connect a drive unit directly to such a water storage tub. A separate supporting member (or a coupler) is installed on the water storage tub to reinforce the water storage tub and facilitate the coupling between the two.

However, assembling errors tend to occur during the installation of a supporting member onto a water storage tub and likely cause vibration of the washing tub and the entire washing machine during washing. The undesirable vibration may lead to shortened service cycles of the washing machine or even damage to the washing machine.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a washing machine utilizing a coupling mechanism between a washing storage tub and a motor that offers enhanced mechanical stability and thereby reduced vibration of the washing machine.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a washing machine includes a water storage tub for storing washing water; a washing tub installed inside the water storage tub and used to accommodate laundry; a pulsator installed in the washing tub and configured to rotate washing water; and a drive unit having a motor for providing rotational force to the pulsator. The water storage tub is coupled to the drive unit via a supporting member that is integrated with the water storage tub when the water storage tub is formed during an injection-molding process.

The supporting member may include a motor supporting portion protruding toward the inside of the water storage tub and coupled to the motor.

The drive unit may include a gear member disposed in a lateral distance from the motor, and a power transmission member.

The supporting member may include: a motor accommodating portion protruding toward the washing tub and used for accommodating a part of the motor; and a through hole disposed coaxially with the rotation center shaft of the pulsator. The through hole has one side bent toward the washing tub for installing a rotation center shaft of the gear member. The supporting member further includes a gear member accommodating portion adjacent to the through hole. The gear member is installed on the gear member accommodating portion.

In another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of manufacturing a water storage tub includes: a supporting member forming step of forming a supporting member for installing a motor and a gear member; and an injection molding step of injection molding the water storage tub and inserting the supporting member into the water storage tub.

Thus, as the supporting member is integrated with the water storage tub during the forming process of the water storage tub, a subsequent assembling process for integrating the two parts is thereby eliminated, which advantageously results in reduced assembling errors. Further, the manufacturing processes are advantageously simplified, leading to reduced manufacturing cost.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. In addition to the illustrative aspects, embodiments, and features described above, further aspects, embodiments, and features will become apparent by reference to the drawings and the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures in which like reference characters designate like elements and in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an exemplary washing machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary water storage tub in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the exemplary water storage tub of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom perspective view of an exemplary supporting member of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary washing machine according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented here.

Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the technical field to which the present disclosure pertains may easily carry out the exemplary embodiment. The present disclosure may be implemented in various different forms, and is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

In several exemplary embodiments, constituent elements having the same configuration will be representatively described using the same reference numerals in a first exemplary embodiment, and in a second exemplary embodiment, only configurations, which are different from those described in the first exemplary embodiment, will be described.

It should be noted that the drawings are schematically illustrated, and the scales of the drawings may be different from the actual scales. Relative dimensions and ratios of the parts illustrated in the drawings are exaggerated or reduced in terms of sizes thereof for clarification of the drawings and convenience, and any dimension is only illustrative, and is not limited thereto. The same structures, elements, or components illustrated in two or more drawings are designated by the same reference numerals so as to illustrate similar features.

The exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is specifically presented as an ideal exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. As a result, various modifications of the drawings are expected. Therefore, the exemplary embodiment is not limited to specific forms in regions illustrated in the drawings, and for example, further includes modifications of forms by the manufacture.

Hereinafter, an exemplary washing machine 101 including a water storage tub 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the washing machine 101 includes a water storage tub 100, a washing tub 400, a pulsator 500, and a drive unit 300 with a motor 320.

The water storage tub 100 stores washing water and may have a cylindrical shape. The washing tub 400 is installed inside the water storage tub 100 and is used to accommodate laundry, such as clothes, bedding, or the like. The washing tub 400 may also have a cylindrical shape.

A plurality of through holes (not explicitly shown) are formed on the cylindrical wall of the washing tub 400 such that washing water can flow from the water storage tub 100 to the washing tub 400, and vice versa.

The pulsator 500 is installed at the bottom of the washing tub 400. When the pulsator 500 rotates inside the stationary washing tub 400, washing water in the washing tub 400 is agitated and water flow is produced.

The drive unit 300 is installed outside the water storage tub 100 and coupled to the pulsator 500. The drive unit provides rotational force to the pulsator 500.

The washing machine 101 including the water storage tub 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure may further include a housing 20 that encloses the water storage tub 100 and defines the exterior of the washing machine 101. The drive unit 300 is installed between the housing 20 and the water storage tub 100.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the water storage tub 100 includes a supporting member 200 used for coupling the drive unit 300 with the washing storage tub 100. The supporting member 200 reinforces the mechanical strength of the bottom surface of the water storage tub 100. The strengthened water storage tub 100 bottom can effectively prevent the water storage tub from being deformed, worn, or otherwise damaged by the vibration caused by the drive unit operation. In one embodiment, the supporting member 200 may include a metallic component capable of enhancing the mechanical strength and rigidity of the water storage tub 100.

The water storage tub 100 is made of a plastic material and formed by an injection molding process. According to the first embodiment of the present disclosure, the supporting member 200 is inserted into the bottom of water storage tub 100 during the injection-molding process used in forming the water storage tub 100. As the supporting member 200 and the water storage tub 100 are integrated before the water storage tub 100 is fully formed, a subsequent process of integrating the two components (as required in the prior art) is advantageously eliminated according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Moreover, the fastening parts such as bolts (as typically used in the conventional assembling process) are no longer needed either. As a consequence, the assembling errors related to installing a supporting member onto a formed water storage tub 100 are reduced or eliminated, which also advantageously and effectively prevents vibration and noise between the drive unit and the supporting member.

Further, as the metallic material in the supporting member 200 is surrounded by the plastic water storage tub 100, the supporting member 200 is protected from possible corrosion caused by moisture or the like.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 as described above, the drive unit 300 of the washing machine 101 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may include the motor 320, a gear member 310, and power transmission member 330. The motor 320 may be driven by external electric power and provides rotational force.

The gear member 310 may be coaxially coupled to the pulsator 500 through a rotation shaft; while the motor 320 is disposed in a lateral distance from the pulsator 500 and the gear member 310.

The power transmission member 330 is installed between the motor 320 and the gear member 310. The power transmission member 330 transmits motion from the motor 320 to the gear member 310. For instance, the power transmission member 330 may include a pulley.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the supporting member 200 may have a motor supporting portion 220, a through hole 201, and a gear member supporting portion 210.

The motor supporting portion 220 protrudes from the base of the supporting member 200 toward the bottom surface of the washing tub 400. The motor supporting portion is configured to accommodate the installation of the motor 320 between the housing 20 and the water storage tub 100. The motor 320 has one side coupled to the housing 20 and the other side coupled to the motor supporting portion 220. Therefore, by using the motor supporting portion 220 (of the supporting member 200), the motor 320 and the water storage tub 100 may be advantageously and efficiently installed in a compact fashion.

The through hole 201 is used to couple the pulsator 500 to the gear member 310 and the drive unit 300 such that the rotation center shaft of the pulsator 500 and the rotation center shaft of the gear member 310 are positioned coaxially with respect to each other. More specifically, the rotation center shaft of the gear member 310 may traverse through the through hole 201.

The through hole 201 may have a curved cylindrical shape in part or in whole. The curved through hole 201, or a part of it, may be bent toward the washing tub 400 to enhance support for the the rotation center shaft of the gear member 310 in a circumferential direction.

An aperture 105 in FIG. 3 is formed at the bottom of the water storage tub 100 for penetration of the rotation center shaft of the gear member 310. The through hole 201 has a larger diameter than the aperture 105.

The gear member supporting portion 210 is configured for coupling the gear member 310 to the bottom of the water storage tub 100. In the present embodiment, the gear member supporting portion 210 is formed adjacent to the through hole 201.

With the aforementioned configuration, the water storage tub can support the drive unit 300 with adequate mechanical strength and improved installation precision. Also, it eliminates the assembling process of coupling a supporting member to a formed water storage tub, as usually is required in assembling a conventional washing machine. The simplified manufacturing processes advantageously lead to reduced production cost as well as improved product reliability.

Hereinafter, an exemplary washing machine 102 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG. 5.

Like the exemplary washing machine 101 including the water storage tub 100 of the first embodiment, the washing machine 102 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure includes a water storage tub 100, a washing tub 400, a pulsator 500, and a drive unit 300 having a motor 320.

However, in the washing machine 102, the drive unit 300 including the motor 320 is directly and coaxially connected with the rotation shaft of the pulsator 500. Thus, the motor supporting portion 220 for supporting the motor 320 is disposed on the supporting member 200. The motor supporting portion 220 protrudes towards the water storage tub 100 and is coupled to the motor 320. It will be appreciated that the configuration of the motor supporting portion 220, e.g., the direction in which the motor supporting portion 220 protrudes, may be adapted to various possible configurations and structures of the motor 320.

A through hole 201 for the rotation center shaft of the motor 320 to penetrate may be formed at the center of the motor supporting portion 220. The through hole 201 may be formed as illustrated in FIG. 4 as described above.

With the aforementioned configuration, the supporting member 200 of the washing machine 101 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be formed based on the structural configuration and arrangement of the drive unit 300, thereby effectively supporting the bottom surface of the water storage tub 100. The supporting member 200 is inserted into the water storage tub 100 when the water storage tub 100 is subject to the injection-molding forming process, thereby effectively improving the mechanical strength of the bottom portion of the water storage tub 100.

Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the water storage tub 100 according to the first and the second exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. In the water storage tub, the supporting member for supporting the motor is formed. Specifically, the supporting member of a metallic material may be formed by inserting a plate material into a mold that is designed based on the mechanical properties of the motor, such as the shape, the size, or the like.

The supporting member, which has been formed as described above, is inserted into the bottom surface of the water storage tub when the water storage tub (including a plastic material) is being fabricated via injection-molding.

The supporting member may be formed to protrude toward one surface of the water storage tub so that a part of the motor is inserted into the supporting member in order to effectively support the motor.

The water storage tub with the supporting member inserted into the water storage tub during the injection-molding process may advantageously and steadily support the motor because of improved rigidity and flatness of the bottom surface.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described herein for purposes of illustration, and that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly, the various embodiments disclosed herein are not intended to be limiting, with the true scope and spirit being indicated by the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A washing machine comprising: a water storage tub configured to contain washing water; a washing tub disposed inside the water storage tub and configured to accommodate laundry; a pulsator disposed in the washing tub and configured to agitate washing water by rotation; and a drive unit comprising a motor for driving rotation of the pulsator, wherein the water storage tub comprises a supporting member that is integrated with the water storage tub as the water storage tub is being formed during an injection-molding process, and wherein further the water storage tub is coupled to the drive unit via the supporting member.
 2. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the supporting member comprises a motor supporting portion configured to support the motor.
 3. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the drive unit further comprises: a gear member disposed in a lateral distance from the motor and coupled to the pulsator; and a power transmission member disposed between the motor and the gear member and configured to transmit rotational force from the motor to the gear member.
 4. The washing machine of claim 3, wherein the supporting member comprises: a motor supporting portion protruding toward the washing tub and configured to accommodate the motor; a through hole located coaxially with a rotation center shaft of the pulsator; and a gear member supporting portion disposed adjacent to the through hole and coupled to the gear member.
 5. The washing machine of claim 4, wherein the through hole comprises a curved cylinder portion that is configured to bend toward the washing tub.
 6. The washing machine of claim 5, wherein a rotation center shaft of the gear member penetrates the through hole.
 7. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the water storage tub is made of a plastic material.
 8. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the supporting member is made of a metal material.
 9. The washing machine of claim 1, wherein the pulsator and the motor are disposed coaxially.
 10. A method of manufacturing a water storage tub of a washing machine, the method comprising: forming the water storage tub by an injection molding process; and inserting a supporting member into the water storage tub, wherein the supporting member comprises a metal material, and wherein the supporting member is configured to couple the water storage tub to a motor, and wherein further the motor is configured to rotate a washing tub and a pulsator of the washing machine.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the water storage tub is made of a plastic material.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the supporting member comprises: a motor supporting portion protruding toward a washing tub of the washing machine and configured to accommodate the motor; a through hole for accommodating a rotation center shaft of the pulsator; and a gear member supporting portion for accommodating a gear member of the motor. 